The Resurrection of Britney Spears

AFTER a tumultuous year in which she was admitted to a psychiatric unit and lost custody of her children, Britney Spears has staged her greatest performance yet – appearing before the world looking healthy and composed.
The troubled pop singer dominated the 25th MTV Video Music Awards in Hollywood, winning awards for all three categories in which she was nominated.

The ceremony's host, comedian Russell Brand, declared the evening "the resurrection of Britney".The 26-year-old took home awards for best video, best pop video, and best female, all for her single, Piece Of Me.

Her haul of statuettes was not the defining moment of the evening – that was reserved for her ability to endure the ceremony without incident or embarrassment.

Only a year ago at the same awards, a dishevelled Spears delivered a universally mocked performance, lip-synching out of time and forgetting her dance steps to her single, Gimme More.

That precipitated a tough time for the singer, which saw her shave her head for the paparazzi, find herself admitted to a hospital psychiatric award, and lose custody of her two sons.

Spears received a standing ovation from the crowd as her best-known song, Baby One More Time, blasted through the auditorium's PA.